


In The Midst

by heartequals (savvygambols)



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: 4+1 fic, Avengers Mansion, Community: fandomaid, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-17
Updated: 2013-05-17
Packaged: 2017-12-12 02:52:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/806327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savvygambols/pseuds/heartequals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>4 ways Tony tried to propose to Clint and 1 way he succeeded without trying at all</p>
            </blockquote>





	In The Midst

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Tera for the beta/cheerleading job. This is for haku_kaen for the Superstorm Sandy fandomaid auction!
> 
> This fic has been [translated into Chinese](http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_7be6d2f30101bozm.html) by [NSIW](http://archiveofourown.org/users/NSIW/pseuds/NSIW).

“I wanna get married,” Tony announced.

“Yes!” said Thor. “I have not yet been to a Midgardian marriage ceremony.”

“I’ve never been to a wedding,” said Steve sadly.

“I got married once,” said Natasha. “It was awful.”

“GAURGHHHHHH,” said the Hulk.

“Tony, is this your ass-backwards way of proposing?” Clint asked.

“People!” shouted Coulson. “Is this really the time?”

The comms went silent. Clint knocked off another alien that was advancing on Steve. From the ground, Steve waved at him.

“I’m just sayin’,” said Tony. He swept through two buildings and hung in the air before Clint. “I wanna get married.”

“I wish you many happy years together,” said Thor.

“There were no proposals made here!” said Clint. “Did you see anyone propose here? Because I didn’t. No proposals here. None.”

“I repeat,” said Coulson. “Is this _really_ the time?”

Clint nocked another arrow and shot an alien that had crept up behind Tony. Tony blew him a kiss and zoomed off.

The background chatter ceased for a bit while the Avengers concentrated on the fight before them. As the battle wound down, there came a cough over the comms.

“Dibs on best man,” rasped Bruce.

“In your dreams, Banner,” said Natasha.

 

\----

 

4 Ways Tony Tried To Propose and 1 Way He Succeeded Without Trying At All

 

\----

 

1\. In the middle of a battle

Tony landed on the roof in front of Clint and flipped up his faceplate. Clint thought it was unfair that Tony remained sweatless and handsome in the middle of battles while he looked like he’d had ass handed to him nineways to hell after the first ten minutes. He wasn’t even on the ground this time either.

“Clint Barton,” Tony said, getting down on one knee. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my lawfully wedded husband?”

Clint nearly dropped his bow and arrow. “Are you serious?” he asked. “You’re doing this now?”

“It seemed appropriate. We bonded in battle, we fell in love in battle, and now, I’m proposing mid-battle.”

Tony was carrying a civilian in his arms like a bouquet of flowers. She had a broken leg and was bleeding profusely from the head. She was not, however, so incapacitated that she couldn’t frown at Clint and say, “Come on man! That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Say yes!”

“We are not having this discussion right now,” Clint said firmly. “Get that girl to safety.”

Tony flipped his faceplate back down. “Can we have this discussion later?”

“Will that make you concentrate on the fight?”

“Maybe.”

“Then maybe.”

“Hawkeye sucks,” said the girl as Tony took off.

“You bet he does,” said Tony and Clint swore he could hear the smirk as Tony trailed away.

 

\----

 

2\. With Skywriting

“Mister Barton,” said Jarvis. “Master Stark requires your presence on the rooftop patio. He says it’s urgent.”

Clint put down his knife and polishing rag. “How urgent?”

Jarvis seemed to pause and listen to something. “He says it’s _very_ urgent,” Jarvis said. “I suggest you make your way to the roof before he does something dramatic. More dramatic, that is.”

Figuring it was the brunch team meeting that Tony had been threatening for several months, Clint grabbed his coffee mug and made his way upstairs. Tony was not there but Natasha and Bruce were. They were sitting on one of the patio couches, doubled up with laughter, Natasha collapsed against Bruce.

“Oh good, Clint’s here,” said Natasha. Bruce laughed. “This is going to be better than Christmas.”

“What is it? Where’s Tony?” Clint asked. “He said it was urgent. Is everything alright?”

Natasha and Bruce pointed towards the sky.

MARRY ME read the clouds.

“No, no, no,” groaned Clint. He ran a hand through his hair. “No, please, let that not be him.”

The unmistakable red and gold suit zipped around the sky. Tony was not done yet.

MARRY ME? asked the clouds.

Bruce and Natasha burst into giggles all over again. Clint put a hand over his face but that didn’t make the clouds go away.

“Master Stark would like to know your answer,” Jarvis said. “Should I tell him no?”

“No,” said Clint. He put his hand down. “Tell him no on principle. In fact, my answer is _no god why_.”

“Don’t you think it’s romantic?” Natasha asked. “Nothing says ‘I love you’ like sky-writing.”

“I bet the gossip sites are already speculating on the guest list,” said Bruce. Clint gave them both the finger.

“All of Manhattan,” muttered Clint as he stalked back downstairs to his knives. “All of Manhattan knows Tony Stark tried to marry me today.”

 

\----

 

INTERLUDE: Tony Asks For Help

Tony was starting to worry. Tony Stark never worried. He picked up his phone and dialed the one person he knew could help him.

“Natasha, you and me, girl talk, now,” said Tony. He bounced on the balls of his feet. “I need your help.”

“What is it, Stark?” Natasha asked. She sounded slightly breathless -- she was either working out or beating someone up. It was hard to tell with Natasha.

“What am I doing wrong? Help me out here.” Tony picked up a wrench and began tossing it up in the air.

“He’s your boyfriend, you figure it out.”

“See, here’s the thing, Nat. He’s never actually said no outright. The first time, he said we should discuss it, and okay, yeah, maybe proposing mid-battle was little a bit tasteless. But it’s me! And it was us! We’re warriors. It was fitting.”

“It _was_ tasteless. He told me that you were carrying the body of a teenage girl at the time!”

“She wasn’t dead! But you’re right, it was tasteless.” He set down his wrench and picked up a screwdriver. He began tossing that in the air instead. “But the sky-writing -- he said no on principle. That wasn’t an outright no either.”

“Because it was skywriting, Stark. He said no on principle because you proposed via skywriting.”

“Not really his style,” Tony agreed. He put down his screwdriver. “My point though: he’s never said no outright. He just dodges the question.”

“He’s good at that,” said Natasha. There was a small “oof!” at the other end of the line. Definitely beating someone up, Tony thought. There was a slight pause and then she said, “maybe you should try something more traditional. Or subtle.”

“I can do traditional. I can totally do traditional.” Tony ran a finger along the edge of his workbench. “Real talk: do you think he’ll say yes?”

Natasha was silent for a bit. “Yes,” she said finally. “When he’s ready, I think he’ll say yes.”

“I think so too.” Tony tapped the edge of his workbench. “He hasn’t broken up with me yet at any rate.”

“He loves you too much for that,” said Natasha. “Are we done here? I’m kinda in the middle of something.”

Tony smiled fondly. “Yeah, we’re done. Give whoever you’ve got a nice smack in the face for me, will you?”

“Always,” she promised and hung up.

 

\----

 

3\. At SHIELD’S annual formal ball

Clint never really enjoyed SHIELD’s formal balls. He wasn’t comfortable in white-tie, even though he looked damn good in it, and he wasn’t one for socializing with his fellow agents when they were absolutely plastered.

Not that that ever stopped him from getting plastered as well. It was the only way to deal with these things.

It got a bit easier once he had Tony by his side -- Tony was a fun drunk, had scathing wit when it came to SHIELD agents, and looked just as good as he did in white-tie. Pulled it off better too, probably because he’d grown up wearing it. They made a handsome couple and they always made a point of showing off a bit, just to give the organization something to talk about.

This was a little much though. Tony was down on one knee again. He was holding two glasses of whiskey. He offered one up to Clint. “Clint Barton, will you marry me?”

A dozen SHIELD agents turned around. A small circle formed around them.

“Why here?” said Clint. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because I love you.” Tony took a sip from his own glass. “Marry me?”

“Now?”

The crowd around them grew thicker. “Whenever,” said Tony. “Now would be fun though.”

Clint shook his head, itching for a flashbang to throw at the crowd around them. “You can’t be serious.”

“Aw, come on,” said Tony. “We’re already dressed up!” He nodded at the agents around them. “And we’ve got plenty of witnesses.”

“Do it Clint!” someone in the back of the crowd yelled and the agents around them cheered.

Tony shook the glass at Clint. “What do you say?”

Clint was saved from having to say anything when “We Found Love” came blasting on the speakers. The crowd around them dispersed as the SHIELD agents ran for the dancefloor. Clint turned around. Bruce was at the turntables. He gave Clint a thumbs up and Clint made a mental note to send him flowers.

“Moment ruined,” said Tony. He climbed to his feet. “Would you though? Marry me?”

“I’m not marrying you right now,” said Clint. “I’ll take that whiskey though.”

 

\---

 

4\. With A Diamond Tipped Arrow

“I have a surprise for you,” said Tony, bouncing into the dining room with a flourish.

Thor, Steve and Clint looked up from their dinners. The look on Tony’s face suggested Clint was in for something big and Clint became nervous when Tony waved the other two off. “Just Clint.”

Steve and Thor did not return to their meals, as would have been polite, but watched Tony and Clint interestedly.

Tony sat down next to Clint and shoved his plate out of the way. “Clint Barton, will you--”

“Oh no,” said Clint.

Tony dropped an arrow in front Clint. “I made you this.”

Clint picked up the arrow gingerly. It looked like any other arrow Tony had made him over the years -- unassuming but likely to explode in some unexpected and terrifying way. “What does it do?”

“Not what it does -- what it _is_.” Tony leaned against Clint’s chair and tapped the arrow. “It’s a gesture.”

Clint examined the arrow carefully. “Tony,” he said, upon seeing the tip of the arrow, “is this diamond tipped?” He held it up to the light. It sparkled.

“Sort of. I couldn’t buy a diamond big enough to shape the entire arrow head, so it’s just the very tip. Pretty cool, right? The fletchings are strands of gold and pieces of the suit you were wearing when that robot thing broke up our last date night. Symbolism, you know. Fighting and saving the world together.” Tony put an arm on the back of Clint’s chair. “What do you think?”

Clint turned the arrow over in his hands, running a finger down the shaft. It was a gorgeous arrow, useless for anything but display. “It’s beautiful. What’s it for?”

Tony knocked his knuckles against the back of Clint’s head. “What do you think it’s for?”

“Tony,” said Steve, “is that an engagement arrow?” He sounded suspiciously choked up. Clint couldn’t bring himself to look at him and confirm.

“I figure rings would get in the way,” Tony explained. “This seemed more appropriate.”

“Aw,” said Steve. “That’s beautiful, Tony.”

“A fine gesture from a fine warrior!” said Thor.

“Oh no,” said Clint again. Was this worse than skywriting? He couldn’t tell. All of Manhattan knowing Tony was proposing to him might be easier to bear than Steve Rogers getting emotional over an engagement arrow.

Thor raised his glass of milk as a toast. “To your happiness together and always!”

“He hasn’t even proposed!” said Clint.

“Oh come on, Clint,” said Steve and yes, he was definitely choked up. “How can you say no to an engagement arrow?”

“Clint,” Tony began, “Will you--”

“Master Stark, Misters Rogers, Barton, and Odinson, Agent Coulson would like me to inform you that the ‘robot thing’ that Master Stark and Mr. Barton fought off during their last date night has reappeared in Queens. He believes that this attack will need only one of the Avengers and urges you to hurry.”

“Son of a--ugh,” said Tony. “I’m being cockblocked by a robot again.” He stood up. “This one’s on me.”

“I’ll come with,” said Steve, also rising. “You’re too emotional to take it on alone.”

“No, _you’re_ too emotional,” Tony said. He squeezed Clint’s shoulder briefly, before leaving the room, already bickering with Steve about battle tactics.

Thor downed his glass of milk and reached for Steve’s abandoned glass of apple juice. “What is the meaning of ‘cockblocked’? I have heard Tony say it many times, but never with as much anger as tonight.”

Clint set down the arrow and sighed.

 

\---

 

Interlude: Tony talks to Steve

“You’re coming on too strong.”

“I am not. I am coming off like me.”

“Which is too strong. Give him space.”

“He’s my boyfriend. I know how much space to give him.”

“Tony,” said Steve, “even I can tell he needs space right now.”

“I’m not breaking up with him,” said Tony. The idea made his palms itch. “I’m not doing that.”

“I’m not saying you should break up with him and I’m not saying he wants to break up with you. I’m saying give him space and stop asking him to marry you at the most inopportune times.”

“We’re superheroes! There is no opportune time. There is only now and now is--” Tony paused, sliced off one of the legs of the robot, “now might be all that we have.”

“You can’t think like that.” Steve stood back from the fight and watched Tony slice through the belly of the robot. “You really can’t.”

“It’s true though!” Tony sliced off another leg. “Everyday we get up in the morning and we fight and I see him standing alone on rooftops with nothing but some shitty bulletproof armor to protect him and I think, my god, this could be it, this could be the last time.”

He punched through the stomach of the robot in frustration. The robot let out a small “guh” and fell backwards. Tony jumped on top of the robot and began punching it as hard as he could.

“I’m just saying there’s no good time,” he said miserably. One of his fists dislocated the shoulder of the robot. “I know that, you know that, I thought we all knew that. Why doesn’t he know that?”

“He’s more of an optimist than you?” Steve tried.

“Haha,” said Tony bitterly.

“Just...stop asking him when you’re in the middle of things. Maybe stop asking him at all. I don’t know, Tony. He’s your boyfriend.” Steve scratched his head underneath his cowl. “Why are we having this conversation anyway? Why aren’t you having it with him?”

Tony took off the head of the robot with a solid smack to the face. “Yeah. I should just stop asking.”

“You still have him,” said Steve. “It’s not a break-up. It’s just...not asking him to marry you in public anymore.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right,” said Tony. He leapt on top of the head of the robot and jumped on it until it was a finely ground mess of wires and metal. “Hey, thanks! Good man to man chat. I needed this.”

“Anytime,” said Steve. “I mean. Maybe not anytime, like not mid-battle or anything, like right now, but you know. Any other time. I’m team leader, that’s what I’m here for.”

“Thanks,” Tony repeated and he jumped up down on the head of the robot for a little bit longer.

 

\---

 

1\. How Tony succeeded without trying at all

Clint jerked awake, flailing for a weapon. Tony had long since made him stop sleeping with a knife under his pillow and there was nothing near him that could be used as a weapon except an iron lamp on his bedside table. Clint grabbed it, yanking the cord out of the socket and tumbled off the bed into a crouch by the bedside table, the lamp heavy in his hands.

There was nothing in the bedroom. But this had not been so in his dream.

Clint knew that rationally it was just a dream, but the nightmare had triggered a defense reaction in him that rendered him ready for an attack. There was nothing to ground him in the present, nothing to take him out of the nightmare -- Tony was gone, probably down in his shop, and there was nothing and no one else around to remind him that he was safe. Clint stayed crouched in that position, listening to the silence in their room and breathing heavily, until his knees began to ache and his fear began to recede. Then he got up, set the lamp back on the table, and padded downstairs to find Tony.

As Clint suspected, Tony was in his workshop. He had taken to staying up late and getting up early in the past week, avoiding everyone in the house but his robots. He got like that when he was working on something big, Clint knew, but he still missed him.

Tony was surrounded by dismantled arrows and his face was inches from the counter of one of his work tables, a tiny piece of metal in front of him. He did not look up when Clint entered but mumbled, “Hey babe.”

“Yes,” said Clint.

Tony looked up and squinted at Clint. “Yes what? Oh, wow, you in a shirt and boxers in the middle of my workspace is a good look. You should do this more often. Jarvis, are you recording this?”

Clint ignored him. “Yes,” he said, walking towards Tony. He rounded the worktable and pinned Tony against it, one hand on either side of him. Tony leaned back against the table and let Clint bear down on him.

“Seriously, yes to what?” said Tony.

“I accept,” said Clint, leaning into his space. “I accept your proposals.”

Tony said, “Is this your ass-backwards way of proposing to me?”

Clint took a deep breath and said, “Tony, let’s get married.”

Tony put a hand on Clint’s chest. “I’ve been waiting my entire life to hear you say that. Well, no, just the past couple of months, but--”

Clint kissed him. Tony mumbled something. Clint leaned back. “What was that?”

“Why now? Why are you saying yes now?”

“Why not now?” said Clint. “I get it. We can’t be safe but we can be--”

“Married,” Tony finished. “We can be married. I know a piece of paper won’t actually make us safer but it feels safer, you know? It’s less ‘Tony and Clint’ and more...us. Not you and me, but us. Together.”

Clint swung Tony around so that his back was against the table. “It won’t actually change anything,” he said, settling his hands on Tony’s hips. “We were always us.”

“Everyone will know it now,” said Tony. “Everyone in the damn universe.”

“Everyone already _does_ know it, Tony. Sky-writing, remember?” Clint wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist and pulled him closer. “You told the entire universe already.”

“This is different.” Tony ran a hand down Clint’s arm. “No one can get between us this way -- not that they would stand a chance against us anyway. Tony Stark and Clint Barton: married men who are not to be messed with.”

“No one already can get between us,” said Clint. “Have a little faith.”

“I have faith,” said Tony. “I have lots and lots of faith. I just want that piece of paper to back me up. I want a piece of paper that confirms that Iron Man’s only as strong as the Hawk at his back. We’re pretty damn strong together.” He wrapped his hands around Clint’s biceps. “Do you really want to get married or are you just saying yes because you’re tired of me asking?”

“I’m saying yes because I want to get married.” Clint pulled him closer still. “I don’t think it will change anything. But I want to get married. To you.”

“Some things will change. You would probably stand to inherit a very large fortune from the Stark empire,” said Tony. “If I die, you could give up this life of crime-fighting and live somewhere warm. With pool boys. And drinks with little straws in them. And--”

“What,” said Clint. He shook his head. “You’re getting distracted. Stop.”

“Am I ruining the moment? Do we need to start over?”

Clint hoisted himself up on the workbench and, testament to their relationship, Tony did not even wince when something cracked underneath him. Instead, he leaned between Clint’s legs, placing his elbows on Clint’s thighs, sharp points that grounded Clint in place. He clasped his hands together, looked up at Clint, and said, “Clint Barton, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” said Clint, putting his hands over Tony’s.

“Good. Great. This is--yes. You said yes, and I’m obviously saying yes so this is -- yes.” Tony grinned at him and Clint grinned back. They must look ridiculous, Clint thought, grinning stupidly at each other in a half-dark workshop. He felt ridiculous. He also felt, for the first time in months, completely at peace.

“I’d marry you now if Jarvis were cleared to perform civil marriage ceremonies,” said Tony, entwining his hands with Clint’s and squeezing them tightly.

“Guess we’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Tony looked happier than he had in weeks. Clint leaned down and kissed him until they were breathless. Tony mumbled something and Clint hopped off the counter. “What was that?”

Tony leaned his forehead against Clint’s. “I am really, _really_ regretting the ‘no sex in the workshop’ rule,” he said.

“There’s an empty bed upstairs,” said Clint. “One that you’ve been neglecting for the past week.”

“I thought you needed space,” said Tony.

“I need you,” said Clint. “No one else. Just you.”

Tony said, “I kind of love you a lot.”

“You make me feel safe,” said Clint. “I mean. I love you too.”

Tony smiled. Clint tugged his hand. “Come to bed.”

 

\----

 

Epilogue

“We need a witness,” said Tony, walking into the kitchen with Clint where the rest of the team was eating breakfast. Saying the words made him feel smug. “In fact, we’re gonna need a witness today.”

Watching Steve choke on his toast only amplified the proud feeling in his chest. “You mean--”

“We’re getting married,” Clint said. He put an arm around Tony’s waist and Tony leaned against him. “And we’re doing it today.”

Thor looked at them. “Now may I congratulate you?” he asked hopefully.

“Yes,” said Clint. “I know you’ve been wanting to.”

“I wish you much happiness and a long life together!” he said, upsetting his breakfast plate in his haste to stand and salute them with his coffee.

“Dibs on witnessing,” said Natasha, a smile spreading across her face.

“No,” said Bruce. He was smiling too. “I called it already.”

“Actually,” said Tony. “We were thinking that Bruce could witness and Natasha could perform the ceremony tomorrow afternoon. Clint said that you’re registered with the city?”

“Yes, but I’m only doing it if you wear suits,” said Natasha. “No pyjamas, nothing like you’re wearing now.”

“That’s wonderful,” said Steve. “Can we come with you to the city clerk’s office?”

“We were thinking a private Avengers-only marriage ceremony, actually, so clear your schedules,” said Tony. “We want a day of wedded bliss before the press finds out.”

“When the press finds out,” said Bruce. He put his face in his hands. “Oh god. Are you ready for that?”

“Doesn’t matter,” said Clint. “It’s just us.”

Tony kissed his temple. “Just us,” he repeated and grinned.


End file.
